"No; she is very tired,--very tired indeed. I fear you hardly know
how much she has gone through."

"Shall I go to her?" said Lucius.

"No, Mr. Mason, do not do that. I will return to her now.
And--but;--in a few minutes, Mr. Mason, I will come back to you
again, for I shall have something to say to you."

"You will have tea here?"

"I don't know. I think not. When I have spoken to you I will go back
to your mother. I came down now in order that you might not wait for
us." And then she left the room and again went up stairs. It annoyed
him that his mother should thus keep away from him, but still he
did not think that there was any special reason for it. Mrs. Orme's
manner had been strange; but then everything around them in these
days was strange, and it did not occur to him that Mrs. Orme would
have aught to say in her promised interview which would bring to him
any new cause for sorrow.

Lady Mason, when Mrs. Orme returned to her, was sitting exactly in
the position in which she had been left. Her bonnet was off and was
lying by her side, and she was seated in a large arm-chair, again
holding both her hands to the sides of her head. No attempt had been
made to smooth her hair or to remove the dust and soil which had
come from the day's long sitting in the court. She was a woman very
careful in her toilet, and scrupulously nice in all that touched her
person. But now all that had been neglected, and her whole appearance
was haggard and dishevelled.

"You have not told him?" she said.

"No; I have not told him yet; but I have bidden him expect me. He
knows that I am coming to him."

"And how did he look?"

"I did not see his face." And then there was silence between them
for a few minutes, during which Mrs. Orme stood at the back of Lady
Mason's chair with her hand on Lady Mason's shoulder. "Shall I go
now, dear?" said Mrs. Orme.

"No; stay a moment; not yet. Oh, Mrs. Orme!"

"You will find that you will be stronger and better able to bear it
when it has been done."

"Stronger! Why should I wish to be stronger? How will he bear it?"

"It will be a blow to him, of course."

"It will strike him to the ground, Mrs. Orme. I shall have murdered
him. I do not think that he will live when he knows that he is so
disgraced."

"He is a man, and will bear it as a man should do. Shall I do
anything for you before I go?"

"Stay a moment. Why must it be to-night?"

"He must not be in the court to-morrow. And